Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-02

The existence OF the evil OF partisan control and
use Of the civil service Is the strongest practical
argument TO be discovered against correction OF
the evil OF permitting the telegraph system OF the
country 20 remain private monopoly. The threat
ened enlargement OF the sphere OF polit cal cor
ruption by increasing greatly the number or
government employees Ia the obstacle In the way OF
postal telecraphy and the strong support Of the
reign Of Jay could 1.-THE existence OF one evil the
for the continued existence OF another evil
double reason exists for the destruction OF evil
number one. complete removal OF the civil
service from partisan control as ned and instru-
ment Of political corruption would destroy the
argument of danger from an increase In the num-
bers OF government employees The other afgu-
ments In the matter weigh most heavily on the
side OF governmental control or regulation Of
the telegraph. The service OF the present Western
Union monopoly Is reasonably effcient but 10 can
make loo al and personal Discrimination maintains
high rates TO pay dividends upon watered stock,
and In its semi-pubc character yields too great Q
power 20 be exercised, perhaps unscrupulously, by
q single individual. Under governmental control
OF the telegraph IN Europe the wires are used
much more generally than In this country, and the
rates are less than half OF those paid here. The
movement In Congress to establish q postal tele-
graph does rot look to the immediate purchase or
construction OF Geographic system
on its own account, but approves the
contract system and the application OF the
principle involved In carrying the mails to the
transmission Of the Geographic business OF the
country. But as telegraph poles and wires differ
from railroad cars and stage coaches In that their
uses are limited TO the one OF which the govern
uaent proposes TO assume exclusive control, the
United states would need to be prepared to become
ultimately both the owner and builder OF lines II 1t
t. 81 lI-vx At.art IA hat
cheap and uniform Geographic rates with govern
mental control or regulation Of the telegraphic
system VIII be secured this winter. The western
Union Ia both strong and persuasive. and Presi-
Dental nominating conventions and an election
are close nc hand
No amount Of palaver among European diplomats
viii serve TO molllfy the relations between Ger
many and Russia The German newspaper seem
TO have logic their side when they say that, II
the czar was really misled as TO Prince Bismarcks
attitude by forged letters supposed to have been
written oy the chancellor or the German ambassa-
dor at Vienna and the authors OF the forgery are
known TO be of1cers in the Russian imperial
service, IL Is the cars duty to dismiss them at
once; and IT, the other hand, the car Ia salts
ned that the documents In question are authentic,
he should sever relations with Germany outright
and without delay. The fact that the czar Is tenn
porizing. halting between two opinions, and meet
ing Emperor william and his family I'm one spirit
and Prince Bismarck In another, Is viewed as any
thing but sign OF good faith
The appeal OF the Pennsylvania coal-miners to
the editors OF Philadelphia TO advocate their cause
and try 20 procure terms OF peace with the opera
tors did not bring out as many enthusiastic re-
sponses As the men probably hoped for: but the
frank and forcible way In which Mr.. Singeriy epit
omized the situation must have made up for their
disappointment IN other quarters. "when the
companies are charging 81. % advance per ton on
coal said he, land the miners are asking only 36
cents aovance, I am for the miners every time
Assuming that Mr. singerly's figures are correct,
this Il the way consumers will generally feel.
The Tashfn0ton Post appears In enlarged form,
a handsome new dress, and with many features OF
improvement In all its departments. It has
changed TO an etghtpage paper, reducing the
NUMBER % columns on page from eight TO six OF
more satisfactory width 80 that ft now has forty
eight columns instead OF thirty-two Mr. sttlsou
Hutchins retains the propretorship OF the Post
and his son, Mr. walter Stilson Hutchins resumes
the position OF editor, which he niled formerly
with marked ability.